Peter Von Damm
"Pain is universal, you have to understand that in some way everyone suffers, in order to stop you're own suffering."~''Peter Von Damm,'' The first night of Passchendale, 1917 ''Peter Von Damm ''was born in 1890, too Ernst Von Damm and Ada Von damm. He was born to a family of farmers in a small village in Germany. Receiving a home schooled education. He aspired to be a composer, loving music from an early age. Peter had loved the nature, using the way o the land to live. His father had helped him understand, question, and answer his life. But his father was killed in a mugging in 1900. He loved his father, who taught him much over the years. Peter struggled with this until 1910. In 1909 Peter attended university to study music, when he met Sophia Anne Amstultz. The two fell instantly in love, having a child on the first of June, 1912. Then, the eight of July, 1913. Little Lydia died of the flu in 1914. Sophia, couldn't take the thought of loosing her own child, and hung herself a week before the first world war. A grief stricken peter left his son with his mother, and enlisted. DURING THE WAR Peter was an oberleutnant for the majority of the war. From 1915-1918. But in the later 1914, he served as an Unteroffizer. Peter was looked as a good leader among the troops of the trench, because he sympathized with their pain. But it was hard. Commanding soldiers in the field. As of 1915-1917, Peters regiment had a consistent casualty rate between 85-95%. This created a stress, and sorrow for him. He started to write a list of all the names of the men in his regiment in 1915. As of 1918, Peter Von Damm, being a Major was told to retreat with the officers. He didn't, and was shot in the head on 1918. He stood with his soldiers. The bullet missed the brain. He was taken prisoner, and awarded the knights cross as of 1920. AFTER THE WAR Peter had brain trauma, and had to learn how to talk again. It took along time for this. In 1923, he returned home. Seeing his nine year old son, for the first time in 9 years. He'd left him when he was two months old. Dealing with the PTSD from the war, Peter still let his son live with his mother untill 1925. After getting over the events, to the point where he could talk without sobbing, he moved in with his son. Peter began writing music. As of 1925, peter was 35. His son was eleven. Peter was remarried, and had a daughter in 1926. They moved to america in 1930 He was re married to Marie Lillian Belle, a french women. His daughters name was Sophia Ada Von Damm. Peter began to write more music, as it was his passion. (Scroll down) The list of names he wrote, he used to publish a novel. A diary of every year of the war in his regiment. Which included the names of all the men, all the deaths, all the battles. This was made into a film in 1967, entitled, Die Offiziere Tagebuch. Peter continued writing music. Peters son served in the second world war, for the united states. He was wounded, loosing an ear, an eye, and four fingers. Peter volunteered to help soldiers overcome their PTSD after the war. Peter died in his sleep in 1985, at the age 95.